But, Sanchez also missed a wide-open Patrick Turner for a touchdown on the Trojans' first offensive play and later tried to force the issue by throwing the ball downfield on third-and-one - instead of running for the easy first down.

"There were a couple of plays where I was right on. We made some big-time conversions on third down, and there were a lot of highlights," Sanchez said. "But at the same time, there were some easy passes that I missed.

"It's little mistakes like that that keep me working. You just have to strive to get better, know every situation and master it as it comes. I'll get better this week."

"When you get off to a huge start and everything goes right for a couple of weeks, everyone starts to make these statements about forever," Carroll said. "He's still a young guy.

"That was the first time in a game where we were trying to put away a win. Even though we work on that on the practice field, the mentality it takes to carry out the play and decision-making of a well-oiled machine wasn't as good as it can be."

The two plays that seem to have stuck the most were the missed touchdown to Turner and the third-and-one throw.

Sanchez said he knew things would've changed drastically if he and Turner had connected, and after the miss, he let his disappointment show.

"I could tell in my body language on film that it wasn't me right after that play. I was still upset, and I could feel it," Sanchez said. "I remember thinking about it a little bit even after the first drive. I held on to it a little long.

"It's one of those things I can't let cloud my decision making, effect my body language or my facial expressions. I just need to be done with it."

Under a microscope form fans, coaches and the press, Sanchez said he's trying to reign in some of his instincts.

But, it's been a battle to completely shed his willingness to try and make big, albeit risky, plays.

"It's not nearly as bad as when I came in. It's already a lot better than it was last year. It's still that little bug inside of you," Sanchez said. "Coach Carroll likes part of it. He wants me to press and make some plays.

"It's knowing when to let it out. It's in there, but I'm fighting it. I'm trying to be a steady leader on this team."

Still, USC picked up a 17-10 win, and for Sanchez, that was good enough.

"It was a good game for me to learn from," he said. "Usually when you have to learn how to run the ball on third-and-one and miss two touchdowns, when you learn tough lessons like that, usually you lose.

"This is a blessing to be able to come out with a victory and those lessons."

Ellison helped keep one of Arizona's biggest weapons, tight end Rob Gronkowski, from being a factor, and Mays flew around the field, delivering a knockout hit to Arizona's most effective runner, freshman Keola Antolin.

Mays said the hit didn't feel like anything special, and after watching film, it became less impressive.

• Carroll still seemed unsure of what happened with the penalty at the end of the game Saturday and didn't know whom the sideline infraction was on. Had Arizona scored, though, and Carroll said he would've challenged that Arizona's Mike Thomas was down before fumbling/latterelling.

• Marc Tyler returned to practice for the first time in three weeks Monday after suffering a pulled quadriceps muscle.